Learning to Encode RFID Tags

During this week of my internship at the Belle Cooledge Library, part of the Sacramento Public Library system, I learned more about how RFID technology is used in library circulation and materials handling.

Books in the Sacramento Public Library system contain RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, which allow items to be checked in and out more efficiently. These tags also work together with the Automated Materials Handling System (AMHS). The AMHS scans RFID tags as items move along a conveyor belt and sorts them into bins that are sent to the correct branches in the system. The main AMHS for the system is located in the basement of the Central Library, and I hope to take a tour of it later during my internship. Some other branches with more space are also being retrofitted with smaller automated handling systems to help process returned items more efficiently.

This week I spent time working at the book drop, which is the area where returned materials are checked in after patrons place them in the return slot. At the Belle Cooledge branch, the book drop is located behind the exterior return slot where items are collected and then checked in by staff. Library Assistants are sometimes scheduled to cover this area for about an hour, although the task is usually handled by shelvers. Because Belle Cooledge is one of the busiest branches in the system with very high circulation, this area can become very busy.

While working at the book drop, I encountered a book that would not check in when placed on the RFID scanning pad. I realized the issue was that the RFID tag had not been properly encoded. Since I had not yet learned how to encode the tag, I manually scanned the item’s barcode to check it in so it could continue moving through the system.

Afterward, I asked my supervisor to show me how to encode RFID tags. I learned that there is a special program installed on the desktop computer that communicates with the RFID pad located underneath the desk. To encode a tag, we copy the barcode number from the item’s bibliographic record and paste it into the RFID encoding program, which programs the tag so the system can recognize it.

I also learned that some books with foil or metallic covers can interfere with the RFID signal, which can prevent the tag from working properly. In those cases, staff may need to reprogram the tag or replace it using the roll of RFID tags we keep in the branch.

This experience helped me better understand the technology used in library circulation and how staff troubleshoot issues when materials do not process correctly through the system.